If Cannabis Is “A Potential Way To Prevent COVID-19” Then Why Is Trump Blocking Research?

Boing Boing presents these words from our sponsor: Real Tested CBD.

Forbes is reporting, “two Canadian researchers think that a special strain of cannabis might potentially be a valuable tool in the fight against COVID-19.” (Source: April issue of the online medical journal Preprints)

First, it is important to note that it would be very difficult to do such research in the US because the Federal government continues to block research on cannabis.

See: After 4-year delay, DEA will review dozens of requests to grow marijuana for research.

Second, the published information is limited because the research is based on proprietary strains of cannabis, plus the researchers do not yet seem certain about which ingredients and which ratios are key.

They do say, “Cannabis sativa, especially one high in the anti-inflammatory cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD), has been proposed to modulate gene expression and inflammation and harbour anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties… Working under the Health Canada research license, we have developed over 800 new Cannabis sativa lines and extracts and hypothesized that high-CBD C. sativa extracts may be used to modulate ACE2 expression in COVID-19 target tissues.”

They add, “The extracts of our most successful and novel high CBD C. sativa lines, pending further investigation, may become a useful and safe addition to the treatment of COVID-19 as an adjunct therapy… They can be used to develop easy-to-use preventative treatments in the form of mouthwash and throat gargle products for both clinical and at-home use. Such products ought to be tested for their potential to decrease viral entry via the oral mucosa. Given the current dire and rapidly evolving epidemiological situation, every possible therapeutic opportunity and avenue must be considered.”

It would appear that CBD plays an important part of their research.

Like President Trump, I am not a doctor, but I have been following the increasing medical use of “marijuana” for decades. I have seen how it was especially helpful to friends with autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s Disease, etc. See: Cannabis relieves symptoms in Crohn’s disease and CBD Could Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Says New Study.

And I have seen how the Federal government has blocked research and even suppressed the reports that marijuana could help with AIDS, Glaucoma, neuropathic pain, cancer etc.

In fact, the federal government has known about CBD since the 1970s. See: Differential Effect of Cannabinol and Cannabidiol on THC-induced Responses During Abstinence in Morphine-Dependent Rats.

And is still blocking research on CBD, even though it is so widely used. Top FDA Official Slams Federal Drug Scheduling System For Blocking CBD Research.

Unfortunately, President Trump has loaded his Administration with anti-marijuana fanatics like his Attorney General Bill Barr and his new Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, so we are going to have to do our own research and devise our own health maintenance with cannabis.

Most of all, we have to look after our own freedom.

Richard Cowan is a former NORML National Director and co-founder of CBD Comparison site Real Tested CBD.com.